Backstretch Motorsports

Scott Dixon and Helio Castronves have the only legitimate chances of winning the 2008 IndyCar Series champoinship, If Dixon finishes 10th or better at Belle Island this weekend, he clinches the 2008 title (Shawn Payne/IRL)

With the Detroit Indy Grand Prix presented by Firestone looming as the penultimate race in the 2008 IndyCar Series championship, two competitors remain eligible for the title. Scott Dixon saw a 78-point lead over Helio Castroneves dwindle to 43 at Infineon. How will the battle play out on the tight street course at Belle Isle?

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EDMONTON, Alberta, Friday, July 25, 2008 - For the second consecutive weekend, Team Penske drivers Ryan Briscoe and Helio Castroneves will start on the front row.

Briscoe, who won from the second starting position one week ago at Mid-Ohio, won the PEAK Motor Oil Pole Award presented by Canadian Tire and will start first in Saturday’s Rexall Edmonton Indy.

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LEXINGTON, Ohio, Sunday, July 20, 2008 - Ryan Briscoe earned his second IndyCar Series victory of the season, and Helio Castroneves finished second in the Honda Indy 200 at Mid-Ohio presented by Westfield Insurance to earn Team Penske a sweep.

The teammates started in reverse order on the front row for the 85-lap race on the 2.258-mile, 13-turn circuit. Castroneves led the first five laps on rain tires, but relinquished the lead to Vitor Meira on Lap 6 after the Panther Racing driver pitted earlier to change to racing slicks.

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LEBANON, Tenn., Friday, July 11, 2008 - Helio Castroneves won his 24th career IndyCar Series pole at Nashville Superspeedway, extending his series record to seven consecutive seasons with a pole.

Castroneves, who ranks second in points, turned four laps on the 1.33-mile, concrete oval in 1 minute, 31.5320 seconds, 204.519 mph to win his first pole since last September at Belle Isle. The all-time pole leader won it for the first time in seven starts at Nashville.

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WATKINS GLEN, N.Y., Saturday, July 5, 2008 - Team Penske’s Ryan Briscoe survived three rounds of knockout qualifications to win his first PEAK Motor Oil Pole Award in the IndyCar Series since 2005.

Briscoe survived the unique qualifying format narrows the field from 26 to 12 to six. In the Firestone Fast Six session, Briscoe surpassed Justin Wilson in the final minute of the 10-minute session with a lap at 1 minute, 29.3456 seconds, 135.787 mph.

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FORT WORTH, Texas, June 6, 2008 — Scott Dixon topped the record-tying 28-car field to win the PEAK Motor Oil Pole Award presented by O’Reilly Auto Parts for the Bombardier Learjet 550k with a four-lap cumulative time of 1 minute, 37.5063 seconds (214.878 mph average).

Dixon, driving the No. 9 Target Chip Ganassi Racing car, was 0.0462 of a second ahead of Helio Castroneves, who will join the reigning Indianapolis 500 winner on the front row. Castroneves, who has won twice at Texas in the No. 3 Team Penske car, recorded a 214.777 mph average (1:37.5525).

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Team Penske eyes third consecutive victory at Texas
Dixon leads points; shoots for first Texas win

Beware the Dragon

Luczo Dragon Racing returns to IndyCar Series competition at Texas with driver Tomas Scheckter (shown left) The team has added Texas and Chicagoland to the limited schedule they had planned for 2008. Scheckter has led 371 laps at Texas, is a three-time pole winner and won the event in 2005. The team qualified fourth at Kansas and 11th at Indianapolis and had solid runs in both races? Can Scheckter dominate at Texas with a new team?

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